A Princess' Dragon Tale
by SweetLoveAngel2
Summary: The world consists out of pretty princesses, good princes that will always prevail, and dangerous dragons that are born from evil. So what do you do when you need to save the evil dragon from the good prince you're supposed to fall for? Lucy is about to find out when she's pulled into an adventure that will change her view on Fairy Tales forever. Rated T, (for now?). A NaLu fanfic!
1. Once upon a time

**Edit: 26-2-2017**

 **Hi guys!**

 **Here's my latest FanFic, please enjoy! The second chapter is already finished as well, though I'm not quite satisfied with it just yet.**

 **I also want to apologize for the long hiatus.. I've been gone for nearly three years now and I honestly have no decent excuse for being absent for that long. I'll try to make up for it, but I can't promise that I'll be able to update every week like I used to. (studies and social life and such)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail and sadly never will...**

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 **SweetLoveAngel2**

 **A Princess' Dragon Tale - Chapter 01, Once upon a time…**

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~Prologue~

When I was small, my daddy used to tell me stories about pretty princesses who lived in big castles, handsome princes that would always prevail and dangerous dragons that were born from evil. I never really believed any of it because they were nothing more than fairy tales to me – stories that kept my thoughts from the monsters that were hiding under my bed.

The stories were always the same; a fairy tale about a pretty princess, a good prince and an evil dragon. So, after a while, those precious stories became childish and I used them as an excuse to get the attention of my beloved father who would elsewise not even have the time to look at me due to his work. If he would have just sat there, near my bedside and wouldn't have said a word, I would've been just as happy. What made it precious weren't the stories he'd tell, it was him. He would always tell those stories with so much emotion, his voice deep and warm and he would whisper at the scary parts, which always made me hide beneath my blanket in anticipation.

My dad was the best storyteller I've ever met, but that came to an abrupt end when mom got sick. Mom's body seemed to be sucking all the light out of her eyes to the point where father couldn't even look at her anymore. She must've been so lonely. It pains me to think about it, but I know exactly what kind of emotions and thoughts must've rushed through her mind in those last few weeks.

My home was never the same again and my father grew cold towards everybody, including me. So, I knew what it felt like to be avoided and ignored by a person you love very much. Even though I never left mom's side, she still missed the man she loved so much and there was no way I could ever compensate for that kind of love. And so, in an attempt to return some of her light, I started telling her stories. Fairy tales about pretty princesses who lived in big castles, handsome princes that would always prevail and dangerous dragons that were born from evil.

However, not once did I make her smile the way dad had made me smile so many times before.

I couldn't get a handle on it as to why she always looked at me with those conflicting eyes. I could see she was happy, but something on the inside was eating away at her as well.

On a late summer's night, on the evening before my coming of age ceremony, my mom used that last night to tell me to run away. To run as fast as I could and never look back. "Go and find out if the world is really like those fairy tales and come tell me _your_ story." I'll never forget those words because in that instant, my whole life was turned upside down. I ran away that night, leaving behind everything that I had grown accustomed to after almost sixteen years of being spoiled.

During my travels, those precious stories that my father had told me, soon became very important. The memories and the feelings of those fairy tales lingered inside of me and I found myself categorizing everyone I met into groups of good and evil. I did it subconsciously and I wasn't even aware of it until I met a dragon, who against all of my expectations, had the warmest heart of anyone I've met in my young seventeen years of existence.

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 **I hope you liked it!** **Leave me some feedback! ;)**


	2. A change of Heart

**Edit: 28-2-2017**

 **Hey guys!**

 **To shamwoohoo52: thanks for the feedback and being my first reviewer! I'm sorry the previous chapter was so short, but it was just the prologue ;) I also fixed the overall layout.**

 **To theunkownjoe: thank you so much for your trust and support!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail and sadly never will...**

* * *

 **SweetLoveAngel2**

 **A Princess' Dragon Tale - Chapter 02, A change of Heart**

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 _Dear diary,_

 _It's been already a year since I left my home in search of my fairy tale, but still no luck. It almost seems like the universe doesn't want me to find my prince because every time I think I meet him, the boy turns out to be just a jerk or a pervert, sometimes even both. One would think that after so many times, I'd be used to it and be careful who I talk to, but I guess I'm just too desperately trying to force my fairy tale to happen that I can't resist the appeal of a supposedly good boy._

 _I must say that at times I regret leaving my home. I miss you both so much and you can't even imagine what it feels like, but I have to do this. I promised you, mom. I'll return to your side and tell you a story that'll definitely bring back your light!_

 _I've even been trying to follow your advice. I'm just letting life come at me. Whatever I'm meant to do, or who I'm meant to meet, I won't run from it. I'll face it head on!_

The sound of rustling bushes makes me look up, scanning the greenery around me as I push my back more into the big oak tree behind me. I pull up my legs, the diary on my knees now sliding down to my thighs, the coldness of the leather on my skin giving me goose-bumps. My heart jumps when a young girl suddenly appears from out of the bushes, her dark hair dishevelled and her clothes all tattered up. She's panting hard and when she sees me, she stumbles back a bit, her dark blue hair sticking to her tear stained cheeks. I see her hesitation before she rushes forward and falls to her knees before me.

"Please!" The desperation in her high-pitched voice makes my whole being shake with compassion and I slowly put down my pen as I watch her intently. "I need-" She puts her hand on her chest as she takes in short breaths. "I need your help! Please!"

"What's wrong?" I ask her, the concern in my voice evident as I quickly push my diary and pen into my bag and lean closer to her, pulling off the black hood of my vest. She quickly grabs my hand, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"My friend! Please! Will you please help us?!" I quickly nod my head because I can't seem to muster any words. A big smile appears on her face and she gives me kiss on my hand as she thanks me. I suddenly shudder as a chill runs up my arm, but I don't get the time to think about it more because I'm pulled to my feet and dragged along by the young girl, her long hair swaying behind her as she picks up speed. The bushes scratch my bare legs as she leads me through a dense path to a clearing in the forest and my eyes widen when I take in the sight in front of me. There, right next to a small creek, in front of a beautiful waterfall, lies a dragon.

I take a shaky step back, but I'm pushed forward by the girl's small hands that dig into my lower back. She has got to be kidding me, right?! Her friend's a dragon?! How can she even befriend such a dangerous creature?!

"Please! I don't know what to do! I can't lose him!" She buries her head into my back and my heart just aches. I step forward, clenching my fists in an attempt to not let that beast sense my fear. I stop a few meters away from the dark red creature and take a moment to wrap my head around this. I intently look at it, mesmerized by the quite elegant creature, its dark red scales shining every time its stomach goes up and down. I'm somehow amazed, but as it lets out a deep breath, my body is racked by fear. Even though it's sleeping, I don't know what it'll do to me if it wakes so if I run now, I might still be able to survive this. I turn to leave when a voice rings through my mind.

" _Please, don't leave. He won't hurt you._ "

I turn back to look in the direction of that big dragon to face the girl whose voice has just spoken to me. And again, I'm surprised to see a second dragon appear in front of the big red one. I take a step back when it starts to approach me.

" _Please, I beg you. Help us_. _We won't hurt you, I promise._ "

For a moment, I'm fascinated by the way this creature communicates with me by speaking directly into my mind, but my thoughts are interrupted when the bigger dragon lets out another heavy breath.

"H-h-how can I trust you?" I don't mean to sound so untrusting of them, but I'm just so afraid that they'll eat me. Or worse.

" _I'll keep my promise if you keep yours. You promised that you'd help us, so please._ "

That's right, that girl brought me here. I turn around, looking for the small blue-haired girl, but she's nowhere to be found. I feel my heart thump in my throat, my stomach is spinning and I'm afraid that if I don't sit down right now, I'll just throw up as a result of the stress. Unexpectedly, a magic circle appears around the little blue dragon and myself. I recognize the chanting and the inscriptions on the ground beneath my feet from the magic lessons I got when I was still being home-schooled.

"If you're a healer, why don't you help your friend yourself?" I ask, stepping closer towards the two as my stomach settles down. My wariness starts fading as the dragon's magic takes effect and I'm significantly feeling better.

" _I got attacked by a scary man who wanted to hurt me, but my brother protected me and got hurt by the magic that was actually meant for me! So, it's my fault! I tried to heal him, but my magic didn't have any effect on the wound, the only thing it did was give him enough strength to get here. I'm so glad we managed to escape because I don't know what I would've done if- But then! When we stopped here for a short break, he collapsed! I'm really scared, please.._ "Her voice died down in sobs. " _P-please.._ "

To be honest, her words surprise me. I can't possibly fathom about how such a terrifying creature could even be afraid of anything, but still, the tears and the broken voice are clearly evident. I look the little dragon over for a moment, her bright blue eyes connecting with mine as she intently looks into my brown ones, waiting expectantly for some kind of reaction on my part.

I sigh before I finally give in to her hopeful stare and force myself forward, the air around the red dragon getting suffocatingly hotter, the closer I get to him.

" _Be sure not to touch the wound because it'll infect you too!_ " She warns, but even without her warning I wouldn't have tried because it might awaken the red creature which I want to avoid for as long as possible.

"What kind of magic did that man use?" I ask, though I can almost guess the answer as I gaze upon the big wound on the red dragon's neck, the dark maroon scales turning white from the frostbite. It must've been an Ice Mage – maybe even a Water Mage – but still, if I don't know what's causing the discoloration of its scales, I don't know what it is exactly or how to treat it.

A low growl makes me stumble backwards, my eyes meeting with fiery gold ones that instantly nail me to the ground. My body freezes, my blood starts to rush and my lungs stop working. The red dragon moves, turning its head towards me and gives out a dangerously low growl, which makes me shake on my legs and fall backwards to the ground. A claw is raised and the tears spring in my eyes before I squeeze them shut.

I wait for the blow, expecting the feel of ripping flesh and dripping blood, but nothing happens. I peek through an eye and let out my breath. Relief washes over me as I see the smaller dragon standing in between us, guarding me behind her scaly tail. She's growling something incomprehensible back at the other which makes the red dragon give me a quick glance before he settles back down onto the ground, almost seeming annoyed.

"Don't worry, I don't trust you either." I say and he shoots a glare at me, but at this point, I'm not as afraid as I was before thanks to this little blue one between us. "I don't know how much you've heard, but I promised that I won't hurt you, if you'll do the same." I take in a deep breath, calming my nerves before I step forward, reaching out my hand to touch his head, but he jerks it away, making me flinch. Because of its turned head, I can now get an even better look at his wound and an idea instantly shoots through my mind. I grab one of the Silver Keys that hangs from the chain at my hip and take a few steps back so I have more room to do my summoning.

"Open the Gate of the Southern Cross! Crux!" I raise my Key and turn it a quarter clockwise as I summon the spirit. The little blue dragon looks intently at my magic, exchanging glances with her brother as her eyes shine with excitement.

" _My brother says it's Stellar Magic, is that true?_ " I hear her voice ask in my head and I nod.

"Well, sort of. It's actually called Celestial Spirit Magic, but a long time ago it was indeed referred to as Stellar Magic." I smile as I notice the gleam in her eyes.

"Lucy-sama, how can I help you this time?" The old spirit says, pulling my attention back to him, his giant, metal cross-like head tilted slightly to the right and his white moustache moving with his mouth as he asks the question. It makes me smile time and time again.

"Could you tell me something about the Magic that was used to create this wound?" I say, pointing at the gaping hole in the dragon's neck. Now that I think about it, it's not even bleeding, though that's probably because the tissue is frozen solid.

"I'm sorry, but my archive only collects information about Stellar Magic and everything associated with it. This kind of magic has never been used on a Stellar Mage, so I can't access those archives." At Crumudgeon's words, the small dragon lowers her head in disappointment.

My mom once told me about the great archive. All information regarding everything that exists or ever existed in our world is stored there in an invisible collection. Crumudgeon is one of the few who can access it, but as a Celestial Spirit he's bound by rules that forbid him to access files that are unrelated to Celestial Mages.

For a split second, a thought enters my mind and I consider just leaving these two because they were dragons and had probably attacked someone and had gotten themselves hurt. I truly feel horrified that my mind can even conjure such thoughts because I'm not the kind of person to just abandon someone. Not even if they are terrifying and malicious.

I know dragons are evil and vile beasts, at least that's what I've always been told, but do I really have the right to judge these creatures? Me, who knows nothing of this world even after having experienced so much already in the past year.

To be honest, if these two had been human, I never would've hesitated to help them. I wouldn't have doubted them, not for a second. It scares me to think that I've become someone so resentful. This isn't the person I want to be. Maybe these creatures are bad and might have brought everything on themselves, but- until I find out more, I won't judge them.

I'm sorry daddy. I'm being a bad girl.

I turn to look at the panicking blue eyes that are staring at me, shooting her a smile. "Don't worry! It's going to be alright! I'll definitely help you guys!" I quickly reach out to the red dragon, connecting my fingertips to the frostbitten scales before the big creature can react and pull back. A cold sting shoots up my arm, starting from my fingers, and I slump to my knees as the magic starts to engulf my right hand. "H-how about now?" I ask, panting slightly from the body-numbing magic.

Crux looks at me with concern in his eyes before he starts his search. A few moments pass as silence engulfs us before he wakes again and starts to speak. "The Magic was made by a young man who goes by the name of Aiden Vyston." I frown upon hearing the name. Somehow, it sounds very familiar, but I don't exactly know where I've heard it before. "The spell is named Frost Virus and is a form of Lost Magic, usually fatal to the victim in the long run. What's more, should the victim survive the initial attack, the virus will finish it. It'll first take down the magic circulation, which means that the victim won't be able to control his or her magic. Then the virus will freeze the rest of the b-ody until the heart stops beating. The hum-ans of this age don't have much information abo-ut this kind of Magic since it was b-anned a long time ago, but it's tre-atable, if healed by the highe-st level of heal-ers." Crux's form has started to fade and I feel my magic getting weaker along with the voice of my spirit. "I sh-all leave now so spa-re your ma-gic." He bows before he disappears in his white puff of smoke. I stare at my hand which is now shaking and already frozen up to my wrist.

" _I'm so sorry for getting you involved!_ " Her cracked voice almost makes me want to cry with her.

"No, I wanted to help you. Besides, Crux wouldn't have known anything if a Spirit Mage like myself hadn't had a connection with it."

I close my eyes, thinking hard about my spirit's words. The highest level of healers are dragons, I read that in a book once, but this little one said she couldn't do anything… I think further, going through all the information I know that might help our situation.

Books…

I open my eyes as yet another thought enters my mind. Magic can be learned from scrolls, even ancient magic and I know every village has a library that will certainly have some of those scrolls. I grab my bag and pull out a pair of gloves, not wanting to infect the small dragon as well or her brother even further. Who knows, maybe it'll even help slow down the spreading of the virus.

I take out another one of my Silver Keys and raise it before I speak the summoning words. "Open! Gate of the Compass! Pyxis!" In a puff of white smoke, the little red birdlike spirit appears, the large black compass on its head instantly pointing to the left.

"You're still a w-eek's travel from your destination, please follow that direction, L-ucy-sama." The little spirit says as he points in the same direction as the needle on its head.

"Pyxis, can you change the destination to the nearest village?" I ask, crouching down to eyelevel.

"So, you don't want to go to that castle up n-orth anymore?" The spirit looks almost sad. "But, I tried my b-est in locating it for you." It slumps to the ground, scribbling some figures in the dirt with his red wings as he continues to pout.

"It can wait. I need to help someone first. Then, I promise, you can show me the way to that castle, okay?" I give him a bright smile and he nods in response before searching the new route. When he finally looks up again, the needle on his head is now pointing to the right.

"That way. You c-an't miss it if you follow that direction. You should reach your d-estination before noon." And then he disappears in the same white cloud as in which he had appeared. I look at the blue dragon and she nods quickly before she turns and starts to cast a spell on her brother, her tail nearly hitting me in her fast movements.

" _Alright! C'mon, we need to hurry up before the spell wears off! You can fly with me!_ " The small dragon says before I can even answer and sweeps me away. " _I'm Wendy by the way and that's-_ " A growl cuts her off, making me slightly jump because I didn't expect the other dragon to be flying above us. " _Let's just say he's my brother. What's your name?"_

"Lucy." I answer shortly, keeping my eyes on the red dragon that's now flying next to us.

" _Just Lucy?_ " She questions and I see her brother glance at me as he waits for a reply.

"Lucy Heartfilia." I give him a confused look, wondering why he's so suspicious of me, though I can't blame him really. I didn't trust him either, still don't actually. He looks away and it almost seems like he's laughing at something.

" _Now hold on tight._ " She suddenly flies down very fast, making me grab her neck so I don't fall lands with such a force, it leaves the ground cracked and broken and I'm amazed how her paws can so easily absorb the blow of that landing. She even maintains the same speed, despite us being on the ground and trees and bushes fly by as she rushes with amazing stealth through the dense forest. I glance behind us, trying to see if she's leaving any prints on the ground, but to my surprise, not a trace is left. It's quite amazing how these rather big and heavy creatures can move so swiftly that they can pass an area without leaving any trace of their presence. She finally comes to an abrupt halt right at the edge of the woods that surround the village, the emergency stop nearly throwing me forward and down the hill, but her brother manages to grab my blouse, saving me from another flying lesson as he pulls me off of her and onto the ground below.

" _Sorry for the sudden landing earlier, but I can't fly that well, so I figured it was safer on the ground._ "

My heart's pounding in my chest and I'm still a little shaken, but I manage to get to my feet, glad to feel the solid ground beneath them. She walks forward, her paws dangerously close to the edge as she looks down to the village below in the valley. I want to tell her not to stand too close to that ledge, but her brother is already pulling her back by her tail before I can even say anything to her. She pouts at him, to which he answers with some kind of grin.

" _You know Lucy, this will be the first time for me to visit a human village!_ "

"Really? Why's th-?" Oh. Right. Thinking about it, is it really such a good idea to take a dragon to a _human_ village? Even if she is tiny compared to what I always had expected of dragons, I can't possibly take her with me.

" _No! You can't leave me here!_ " Her voice makes me wince because of the high-pitched sound yelling in my head. I forgot she can hear my thoughts. I want to respond, but her brother beats me to it with a growl. She looks at him with cute eyes, I think to try and convince him, but he shakes his head and looks back at me. She growls something which makes his head jerk back to her as he releases another loud growl.

"Guys!" I interrupt to silence them before anyone can hear their loud antics. "Don't make so much noise! Humans are sometimes stupid, but they're not deaf! So keep your voices- growls or whatever down!" The two dragons exchange glances before they both turn each other their back. "I'll go to the village alone, I won't be gone long, but please try not to get discovered. Dragons aren't liked by humans, so lay low! I'll meet you guys here again, okay."

I turn around, but my way is suddenly blocked by the red dragon. His eyes stare into mine and I can't help but feel a trace of fear coursing through my body. At first, I don't know what he's doing, but then it hits me.

I step forward, pushing my fear away and reach out to touch his head. He pulls back though, a growl escaping his throat. "I promise I'll come back. I won't leave you to die." I smile as I see surprise flash in his eyes. I step past him and descend down the hill, trying not to slip on the damp meadow. I don't exactly know how I could feel his anxiety, but I just saw something behind that angry look in his eyes. He was afraid.

I feel the tall grass grace past my bare legs, which makes me shudder because it feels like bugs are running all over my skin. After I rub my legs to make sure there's nothing crawling on them, I follow the road to the village I saw from above.

The village isn't that big and hasn't changed much since I was last here, except for the festival stands that are now set up next to the main road. I smile, remembering how I always visited the village near my own home with my mother. I ate cotton candy, got new books, bought fireworks and just had a great time.

"I wanna do that too, Lucy." I turn my head to the side, locking eyes with soft chocolate brown ones. I blink a couple of times as I take in the presence of that young girl I met in the forest earlier this day. "Can we do that?" She tips her head slightly as a big smile appears on her face.

"Who-? Where-?" Before I can ask properly, the girl pulls me aside, putting her finger over her lips.

"You said dragons can't come into town, that's why I followed you in my human form. Please don't tell Natsu! He'll definitely get mad at me!"

My mind can't keep up. Human form? Natsu?

"Wait. Wendy? But how? I mean, you have a human form? Why didn't you tell me? And why're you dressed like that?" I look at her tattered clothes and her bare feet.

"Can't I tell you later, Lucy? I really want to see the rest of the village before Natsu finds out I followed you…" A little girl with a candy apple walks by, the smell distracting Wendy in the process. Following the scent with her nose, her attention is now drawn back to the stands behind her. I can't just let her walk through town in those clothes, now can I? I let out a sigh, rubbing the bridge of my nose as I try to think.

"Alright, you can tag along." Her head turns back to look at me, excitement in her eyes. "but you first have to get new clothes." Her smile falls.

"Why?" I smile at her unknowingness – which actually makes her very cute – and I can't help but hug her close to me.

"Because you'll attract attention looking like that." I say as I drag her along to one of the clothing stores. The bell rings twice as we both enter through the door and Wendy's eyes light up when she sees all the clothes displayed on the racks. "Take a look around, you can pick anything you like. It's my treat." I wink and the look in her eyes is just indescribably adorable. I follow her as she looks at all the displayed clothes, picking out a few outfits.

After looking over the outfits be both picked out, Wendy decids she likes the two dresses the most. I return the remaining clothes to the clerk and head back to Wendy who is still staring at the clothes she's holding in her small hands.

"So what now?" She looks up at me, holding out the two dresses. One being a light summer dress and the other a similar coloured ball gown. I push her into a changing room and tell her to stay completely still so the scanner can do its work and come out when she's dressed.

The curtain slides to the side, revealing the now newly dressed Wendy and I must say, she looks extremely cute in that short blue dress. It has dark blue straps, a same coloured ribbon on her chest, and matching dark blue knee-high socks. Her shoes are of a light blue that reach to her knees to match with the light blue bodice of the dress which has three layers and ruffles that reaches down to mid-thigh, her hair hanging loosely over her shoulders.

She suddenly is very quiet and nervously fumbles with the ruffles on her dress as she asks how she looks. "You look adorable, Wendy! You should definitely take it!" I chime, giving her a big smile. "Want to try the other dress as well?"

"Thank you, Lucy, but I'll just take this one if I may. We still need to get those scrolls." She says as she looks herself over once again in the big mirror, twirling around in her little dress.

I pay for the outfit with the Jewels I just earned the other day and we head back out, Wendy in high spirits because of her new clothes. We visit a few festival stands that are on our path to the library and I promise her some cotton candy on our way back.

"Wow, this library must be something very important." Wendy utters as we stand before the big white building. Despite the village being small, the library is the one structure that stands out next to the cathedral.

"Yes, you're right. Every human town has a library that has access to scrolls and books from all over Fiore. So we'll definitely find what we're looking for." I smile proudly, feeling quite happy that humans have something this amazing. "We'll be able to take it with us and the scroll or book will automatically teleport itself back to the library after our time's up. Normally, we should be able to borrow it for at least a week."

"And it all works on magic?" She asks as we enter the big building, her eyes feasting on the displayed books and the marble statues.

"Yes, Archive Magic to be exact. It's somehow similar to Crux's Magic but then on a bigger scale."

The deeper we get in, the more Wendy starts to stick real close to me because the crowd starts to grow and it makes me feel like I'm her big sister. It makes me really happy actually, seeing as I have always been an only child. It's like I've been given the important task to take care of someone other than myself, which makes me feel very responsible.

I grab her hand and pull her to a bench on the side where we sit down and wait until the crowd shrinks down a bit. To be completely honest, the infection is really taking its toll on me and I have to force myself to move, ignoring the pain that's trying to immobilize my body from the inside out. I glance at Wnedy, seeing her smile as she plays with the hem of her new dress, a soft smile on my lips now as well. I can't imagine what kind of hardships she has already had to endure in her young life. I feel like I don't even have the right to complain about my own troubles. Thinking about it, I feel the sudden urge to just hold her and let her cry her worries away in my arms.

"Say, Wendy, what happened that made your clothes get all tattered up like that? Was it because of that man?" I ask, her hands immediately stopping their administrations on her dress and her smile falling slightly.

"Yes," I immediately regret asking when she doesn't continue. I didn't think about the possibility that she probably doesn't want to talk about it. She surprises me, however, when she continues her sentence. "he came at us so suddenly, I hadn't even noticed him despite my good hearing and sense of smell. Natsu did though, and he got me out of the way in time. We were both in human form so my guard was down because I never would've expected that hunter to find out what we are."

I suddenly feel bad for thinking that they must've done something terrible to get attacked like that. I never would've thought that maybe – just maybe – these two dragons had done nothing wrong. I always assumed that they're just evil to the core, but I can't help but feel sorry now that the meaning of the word 'hunter' sinks in.

"I'm not really a good fighter, I can only use defensive and enhancing spells when it comes to battles so I panicked when Natsu didn't move anymore after taking that hit for me. Natsu is the strongest person I know so of course I was scared when he got knocked out after one hit. I thought that that hunter would come after me so I prepared a defensive spell on myself, but he went after Natsu who was already down. I rushed towards him to help because he was unconscious and switched my magic to guard so I could heal him without being in danger myself," She pauses, taking a deep breath to try and keep the tears that have started to form in her eyes from falling. "but my magic collided with that hunter's and a big explosion occurred, which blew me backwards and thus shredded my clothes. We were lucky because the energy of that explosion gave Natsu the chance to regain a bit of his strength by absorbing the fire."

I grab her hand, squeezing it lightly to let her know I'm right here beside her. She looks up, her eyes locking with mine and she lets out a sad sigh.

"You see, Natsu's a Fire Dragon so he feeds on that element. I'm the same except I'm a Sky Dragon. There was a lot of smoke and the air was suffocating me because of the impureness. Suddenly, I'm being lifted up into the sky and you won't believe how relieved I was when I saw it wasn't that hunter."

I take in her appearance, amazed by how fragile she looks. No matter how fierce she may look in her natural form, she's still just a child.

"Natsu told me to transform as well and stay like that for a while. We flew two days straight and passed this village around midnight last night before we made a short stop at that waterfall in the forest. We were only supposed to stay there for a few hours, but he didn't get up anymore."

My heart aches for her – for them both – and it makes me both angry and sad. How could I have misjudged these creatures for so long. I didn't know anything about them, about their hardships and struggles in life.

"That's when I met you!" The crack in her voice pulls me from my thoughts. "Natsu told me not to leave his side, but he was getting worse by the minute and my magic didn't do a thing! I really tried, but it's such a difficult spell! The only thing my magic does, is give him energy for maybe five hours, but that's not enough! It's just not enough!" Wendy's crying by now, her small frame shaking from her sobs. I put my arm around her and hug her to my chest, trying to make the nightmare disappear.

"Don't worry, we'll fix it. He's going to be fine, Wendy. I promise." She nods in response before she wipes her tears away, showing me that bright smile again.

"Thank you, Lucy, for helping us."

I notice that a lot of the people have left so I stand up and walk towards the reception desk, Wendy following after me.

"Hello," I greet the young man behind the counter and he instantly smiles when he looks me over. "I'm looking for a Dragon Scroll." The guy's smile disappears as he leans forward.

"A Dragon Scroll? And what would a beautiful lady like yourself do with something as boring as that?" As he talks, his eyes roam my body, making me feel very uncomfortable.

"Oh, it's actually for m-" I quickly put my hand over Wendy's mouth and receive confused looks from both her and the guy in front of me.

"We just want the healing scroll please. Can you help us or not? If you don't, I don't mind searching for it myself." I quickly say to the still confused boy.

"N-no! I'll be honoured to help a single mother in her quest. Besides, Dragon Scrolls are kept in the forbidden section so you can't access it without me."

"She's not my daughter." I say a bit irritated, crossing my arms over my chest, hating the idea of needing to depend on someone like him.

"Sister then." He leans over the counter more, making eye contact with Wendy. "So, sweetie, how old are you." This guy's getting on my nerves. "You know, a Dragon Scroll isn't cheap.." I don't like his insinuating tone at all. "so what're you willing to pay me?" He smirks.

"Okay, enough! First of all, she's too young for you! Secondly, she's not interested! And third, leave her out of this!" People look at me when I slam my left fist on the counter, making the guy back up a bit. "I don't care how you talk to me, but keep her out of it!"

"Ok, ok. Then I'll ask again. What're _you_ willing to pay for a Dragon Scroll? If I lend it to you, I might get into trouble, so you at least owe me a kiss." He puckers his lips before he smirks again.

At this point, I'm ready to rip his head off his shoulders, but before I can react, a deep chuckle interrupts my train of thoughts, making me forget how I wanted to kill that sexist guy in front of me.

"I guess you don't know who this is, do you?" A voice says from behind me. "This is the daughter of the powerful and wealthy Heartfilia family so if I were you, I'd be scared shitless right about now."

I turn my head towards the source of that voice and take in the sight of the young man behind me, his salmon coloured hair instantly gaining my attention.

"If you make her angry, she can easily get you fired.. or worse."

The guy behind the counter immediately leaves to get our scroll, but I'm still looking at the guy that appeared behind us a few seconds ago, his scaly muffler catching my attention. I want to react, but he puts his finger to his lips, telling me to just play along.

"Here you go, Miss Heartfilia!" My gaze is still lingering on that mysterious boy before I avert my eyes from those – strangely familiar – fiery eyes and completely turn and take the Scroll that's being held out for me. "Since it's from the forbidden section, I'm actually not allowed to lend it to you without the proper documents, …but since it's you… you don't have to worry about it. You should be able to keep it with you for at least three days, maybe a bit longer."

"Thank you." I say politely, my strict upbringing making me reply with good manners automatically before I turn on my heels and pull Wendy with me. I pass the boy that had just aided us, my eyes suspiciously locking with mysterious charcoal ones. I blink a couple of times, trying to remember if his eyes had had this dark colour before as well. What makes me even more wary of him is the blank, emotionless expression the guy holds on his face. He glances at Wendy and I subconsciously step in between them, shielding her from him as I come to a stop in the middle of the isle. He avoids my gaze, looking down and I'm actually surprised to see a trace of panic in his eyes.

"Lucy, it's okay." I look to my left as Wendy tugs on my arm. I want to say something, but when I look back, the guy was gone. I look around, searching for his spikey salmon hair, with no luck, though. "C'mon! We need to go!" Wendy suddenly rushes me towards the big mahogany doors, set on leaving this place as soon as possible.

"Calm down. What's gotten into you?" I ask, pulling her to a stop once again.

"Your arm!" The panic in her eyes sends my body into high alert. I follow her gaze to my arm and watch in horror as I see the skin on my upper arm turning white from the infection. I'm shocked at seeing how fast it's spreading, but Wendy gives me no time to contemplate it as she yanks me into a run out of the library. "We've got to get out of town! He's close!" I hastily put the scroll in my bag, afraid I might drop it since I don't seem to feel my fingertips any longer.

I want to ask her how she knows, but she doesn't give me a chance to ask since she already has full access to my thoughts. "He's a very powerful mage! I'm so stupid! I never should have let you touch it! The infection works like a beacon, pulling him closer to us! That's why we kept on moving, the closer he gets, the more the infection spreads!"

By now we're running through the busy and crowded street, bumping into people that are enjoying the festival too much to notice our distress. I feel my heart beating so fast, my veins are feeling like they're about to burst. My lungs feel like they'll catch fire if I don't stop and catch my breath. On top of this, all sound is being blocked from my ears, leaving me with only a dull beep that resonates through my head. My vision starts to fail as well, blurring the world around me and I can't seem to keep my breathing under control as I'm dragged along by Wendy.

Suddenly I'm on the ground, hands and knees against the cold pebbles. I look up, my sight coming back into focus and sound slowly coming back to me. The noise of music and conversations is giving me a slight headache. I search for a small head of blue, feeling my chest constrict at the thought of having lost her in this sea of people.

"It's okay." Her voice proclaims out of breath as she puts a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "You're okay. There's so many people. We're okay. He won't find us here." She helps me to my feet. "We'd better just walk out quietly. We'll draw too much attention to ourselves if we keep on ru-" Suddenly, Wendy is pulled back by her hair by an angry and drunk man, making her whimper.

"Hey, midget! Don't you have any manners? It's rude to bump into people."

I rush forward, my body working on instinct as I plant my right fist in his face, making him release his grip on Wendy's long locks. I cringe in pain as my once numb hand now feels like it was held under boiling water. It feels like a million needles are piercing through my skin and I feel the tingle all the way to my shoulder. The guy curses under his breath and grabs me by my painful arm, his fingers closing around my wrist with so much force, tears stream out of my eyes as I'm forced to my knees. I refuse to give in, however, trying to push back with all my strength, but the pain just immobilizes me.

Pink flashes before my eyes and I'm suddenly lifted, picked up by strong arms that support me behind my back and beneath my knees as I'm engulfed in warmth. "You.." My voice comes out as a whisper when I recognize his handsome face and mysterious charcoal eyes. He, however, pays me no attention, his eyes glued on the guy on the floor who is wiping away the blood on his lower lip. It surprises me that everyone around us pretends not to have witnessed anything and just goes on like we're not even here.

"Wendy, get up." His voice is deep, dangerously low even and I feel his chest reverberate against my body. I can feel that he's angry and for a split moment, his eyes flash with a fiery gold and he tenses up ever so slightly when he makes eye contact with the downed guy. He then follows Wendy in silence as she guides us back towards the forest.

* * *

"I-I'm sorry, Natsu.." Wendy whispers, glancing back with tears in her eyes. The blonde in my arms, now also looking at me, is waiting in anticipation for my reaction. I say nothing, averting my eyes from both their stares. Disappointment flashes in Wendy's eyes, making my stomach twist in agony. I can't help but let out a quiet sigh. I never intended to make her feel like this, but I can't just smile and act like I was okay with her going behind my back after I told her so many times before that she should avoid people at all cost. It's not that I don't trust people – though I honestly have lost faith in humanity over the years – but she's not only endangering herself. That hunter is remorseless and I know that he wouldn't mind killing a few innocent bystanders if it meant his target would be dead.

Wendy didn't follow Lucy into town with the intention of going behind my back or that of our clan leader's. I don't think she did it on purpose, but that doesn't change the fact that she made a very foolish decision, forcing me to show my face in this human town as well. I don't trust the Stellar Mage with my most precious person. I knew she would come back with the healing scroll because she needs Wendy's help too, but that doesn't mean she wouldn't harm Wendy.

The blonde surprised me, however, when she showed Wendy the kindness I thought a human would never be capable of giving to creatures like us.

I never would've thought that she'd even come to our aid when we met. When I first saw her, she had startled me and my instincts made me move automatically, the need to protect my sister driving me. I raised my claw, knowing that I could rip her apart without even having to try. It scares me to think about it, but if Wendy hadn't jumped in between us, I might've hurt this girl. I've never harmed an innocent and I only attack when I need to defend myself, but after what had happened with that hunter I just couldn't trust anyone. Wendy had yelled at me, screaming that the girl was willing to help us and that we could really use all the help we could get. That was the only reason why I gave in. Having to rely on humans made – and still makes – me feel annoyed, though.

"… _I promised that I wouldn't hurt you, if you will do the same."_ She had said, making me want to laugh in her face. She couldn't possibly hurt me. Not physically, anyway…

I glance back at Wendy's small back. She's so frail and at times even I was worried to break her. Even though she's a very capable healer, she does not have the resolve to put herself before others. I remember when we had to recruit those two other dragons, she was almost killed because she healed me first, instead of herself, while she needed it more. Ever since that mission I had tried to leave her out of everything, but our leader's words are absolute, binding us to do as he pleases even if that means putting our own lives on the line.

"I think you should tell her that you're not mad.." A whisper reaches my ears, pulling me back from my thoughts. Her honey coloured eyes lock with mine, making me frown.

I had forgotten that she was here. Lucy Heartfilia.. When I learned who she was I was quite amused. Of all the people we could've met, we meet a spoiled princess. I assumed she had never even dirtied her hands in her life, having servants doing her dirty chores and maids that tend to her every wish. It had surprised me yet again that she actually infected herself to help us. She didn't have to go that far, but she did, for a still unknown reason.

I look at her gloved hand, the infection has already spread to her shoulder and collarbone. At the moment, I'm fighting the infection myself, keeping my core temperature at a steady heat to keep the infection from spreading any further. It hurts like hell, now more than before because of that hunter's close presence. I can't imagine how she must be feeling right now, not being able to ease the pain whatsoever. She earned my respect for not complaining and whining about it. She even punched someone with her bad hand, though I don't think she'd thought it over at that time. When that foolish boy had grabbed Wendy, my blood began to boil. I wanted to hurt him – kill him – and I probably would have if she hadn't punched him first. Her actions had shocked me out of my rage for a moment, which was a good thing I guess. Even with tears in her eyes, Lucy did not make a sound and pushed back, anger and determination burning in her eyes for a few moments.

"..Just tell her how worried you were."

"And I think you should mind your own business." My hostility surprises her and I honestly have no idea why she bothers me this much. She can read me like a book and it makes me feel very exposed for some reason. I feel her eyes stare at me, trying to unravel all my little secrets. I come to a halt and put her back down. "Since you're able to give smart comments, you're able to walk."

I don't mean to be this cold towards her, but if I don't put some distance between us now, I'm afraid she'll lay out all of my secrets into the open. For a spoiled princess, she does have a good sense of reading people, which scares the shit out of me. I don't know what she's thinking, her thoughts are unknown to me and I find it very unfair since she seems to be able to guess mine.

The thought annoys me, but she leaves me with no other choice..

We finally come to a small clearing in the forest as Wendy comes to a stop, glancing every so often in my direction to see if I'm still mad at her. As our eyes meet she quickly starts gathering branches before throwing them onto a pile to her right.

I turn around, stepping closer to the blonde behind me, forcing her to stop in her tracks. I lean in, reaching into her bag with my hand, searching for the scroll, but she quickly pulls away from me, anger adorably flashing in her chocolate-brown eyes. She wants to respond with force, but I quickly explain myself before she's able to unleash her wrath. I really have to hold in my laughter because she looks more flustered than angry, which gives her cheeks a faint rosy colour. "I just wanted to get the scroll. Don't be so suspicious of me, princess." I give her a smile, putting my hands up in defence. She hesitates for a second before searching for it in her bag.

"Thanks, princess." I smirk as she hands the scroll over to me, to which her cheeks turn red again.

"Don't call me that!" Her eyes now averted from mine. I turn around for a moment, throwing the scroll to Wendy when she looks at me. She catches it with ease, her dragon senses kicking in. Without a word, she knows what I want her to do and she obediently starts to read the inscriptions on the ancient scroll, taking in the magic that its filled with.

"What?" I turn back to my victim. "Don't you like the nickname?" I tease, a smile still tugging at my lips.

"No!" She crosses her arms in front of her chest, her red cheeks puffed and her eyebrows frowning at me.

"Then, what about this," I lean in once more, my breath tickling her neck. "Luce?" I place my lips on her neck, feeling the warmth of her fever on her skin. I bet she doesn't even notice the slight burning sensation that usually follows after I mark my victims. She stumbles back a bit and I'm able to catch her before she falls, pulling her flush against my body and hugging her close. She's trembling in my embrace and a pang of guilt shoots through me, making me regret having teased her so much. I support her, making sure she doesn't fall over.

' _So warm.. I don't understand.. one moment he's angry with me and the next he's taking care of me..'_ She looks up, confusion in her eyes as she tries to figure out my motives.

"I don't think I thanked you yet. For getting the scroll, that is, and for showing your kindness to Wendy." I smile, pushing her hair from her face. "It's going to be alright now, you don't have to act tough anymore." I feel her body tense up beneath my arms as she tries to fight the tears. "You did good today, Luce." I whisper, sharing my warmth with her in an attempt to push the infection back a bit.

She buries her face in my chest as the tears stream down her face, her knees finally giving in. I hold her until we're both sitting on the damp grass. All the while she still refuses to let out a sound as she cries in my chest. I don't even understand it myself. Why my attitude towards her keeps swinging like this. What I do know, however, is that even though Lucy might not look like she can handle much, she has proven herself today to be very strong.

"Wendy, how's it going?" I ask, fearing that Lucy won't be able to hold on for much longer. The infection is already creeping up her neck, slowing down her breathing.

"I'm not sure!" She rushes to me, placing the scroll next to us on the grass. "It's pretty advanced magic and I don't kn-"

"Wendy, you can do this. Just focus." I reassure her, showing her the confidence I have in her. She nods at me, signalling me to back up a bit.

I lay Lucy down before her as I watch my sister work her magic. A double magic circle appears around them as she starts chanting, the wind picking up slightly.

At this point, all I can do is watch and wait in agony and anticipation.

Time seems to pass by ever so slowly and I can feel how Wendy's magic is rapidly being pulled from her body.

' _Stop it… Wendy.. you're hurting yourself..'_ I hear Lucy's thoughts and I too have been worrying that Wendy might not possess enough power after all. I see Wendy shaking her head, not wanting to stop just yet. I clench my fists, telling myself that if it takes too long, I'll make her stop the enchantment. I've come to respect Lucy, but Wendy still remains my most precious person and she is my top priority.

The tension in the air suddenly vanishes as Wendy collapses, falling forward. I rush to my feet, ready to catch her, but Lucy beats me to it, holding my little sister in her arms. "Thank you, Wendy." Lucy says as she caresses Wendy's forehead, smiling down at her. Wendy shoots her a grin, not having the energy anymore to move or say anything.

"She's alright. She's just exhausted, I think." Lucy speaks as I come closer to make sure Wendy's alright.

"She did a good job today as well." I smile and as Lucy hears the words again a faint blush appears on her cheeks once more. I reach out for her hand, pulling her gloves off to make sure the spell worked. The dark blueish veins on her arm are still clearly visible, but gradually turning back to normal.

"Told you it was going to be fine, Luce." I flash her my toothy grin before I grab the pile of branches that Wendy had previously collected. I sit back down next to the blonde, legs crossed. I take in a deep breath before I light the wood with my Dragon's Roar. I glance at Lucy from the corner of my eyes, expecting to see the terror reflect in her orbs. What I don't expect is excitement and fascination, which makes me burst out in laughter, gaining her confused look.

"You should get some sleep as well. It's been a long and tiresome day for all of us." I say. "I'll keep the first watch." Without hesitation, she lays down next to Wendy before she looks up at me again, something still confusing her. I feel her eyes glued on me for a couple of moments before she finally closes her eyes and falls asleep as well. _'Such a weird guy…'_

I smile at them, feeling their serenity rub off on me, the calmness and quiet of the forest engulfing me and pulling me to the dark abyss of night. I feel my eyes droop down, my vision starting to fail me and the sounds being muffled by the melodies of the forest that lull me to sleep.

I jump up, shaking my head to remind myself that I need to keep watch. Looking back at those two sleeping soundly next to me, I stand up in an attempt to force my body to fight the sleep. I start pacing back and forth, repeating the words in my head that I need to protect her. That nothing can ever happen to her.

I stop, thinking about Lucy, who suddenly invades my thoughts. Who's protecting her? Who's her person? The one she trusts above everyone else? Who respects and accepts her for who she is? Who is the one that will hold her when she needs to cry?

My mind automatically wanders back to that earlier moment when I had hugged her and allowed her to let her pain and frustration out. I crouch down next to her sleeping form, seeing a content smile on her face and I can't help but feel less worried for some reason.

"Idiot," I reach out to brush her bangs from her eyes. "why are you affecting me this much?"

I quickly pull my hand back when I hear the bushes rustling behind me, my senses instantly on high alert. The smell that reaches my nose making my blood boil for the second time that day. He was not alone, probably because I had almost broken his jaw before and he needed some backup for his ego.

' _Natsu..'_

I glance back at Lucy, feeling my heart settle down a bit as I hear her voice echo through my mind. I take a deep breath before sitting back down again, deciding that I won't start the fight.

"Hey, look. We've hit the jackpot." I hear and smell the booze in their breath, sighing in annoyance. They haven't even noticed me.

"That's the idiot that bumped into me before. And that's the slut that tried to fight back. Bet they won't put up much of a fight now." He laughs, awakening a burning fire inside me, anger coursing through my veins.

I can't control myself, their words lingering in my head and pushing me over the edge.

"I promised myself not to start the fight," I startle them as my voice, now dangerously low, reaches their ears. That one guy feels his jaw as he sees me, clenching his other fist. "but I sure as hell am going to end it." I feel the scales trying to push through my skin and it hurts trying to hold myself back. "Come at me, humans."

The first one, too drunk to see how one-sided this fight is, comes rushing at me. I don't even have to put in any effort to send him flying, my claws and tail already fully developed now. I fall forward, shaking the ground as my front paws hit the ground and I let the dragon inside take over, my fiery-golden eyes now locked on his.

"Don't you know how dangerous it is to touch a dragon's property?" I hiss, stalking closer to the guy, who was still nailed to the ground, knees shaking in fear. "Now I'm all fired up!" At that very moment he notices the excitement in my eyes and he realizes that he needs to get away. He stumbled back, tripping over his own feet. He crawls and pulls at everything around him to get back to his feet before he finally manages to run for the hills.

I let out a low growl, feeling satisfaction stir in my core as I walk towards the sleeping and ignorant girls still lying peacefully next to my fire. I lie down next to them, cuddling my warm body against Lucy's back, draping my tail around both of them.

"I'm sorry dad. I'm a bad dragon."

I sigh, feeling a little more complete as I snuggle against the human girl I chose to become my mate.

* * *

 **I hope you liked it! Please leave a review! :D**


	3. May I only have Good Intentions

**Hey guys!**

 **Thanks for the positive reactions to this story!**

 **To** **Volleyball228** **,** **ClosetFangirl-chan** **,** **Grizzly98** **and** Zela Night **: Thank you so, so much for your kind words! I really feel like I've hit this story off with a very good start and I apologize for taking so long to update! To be honest, I wasn't satisfied with this chapter for a long time and I kept on rewriting it, but now! You'll finally get your continuation! I hope I don't disappoint you guys!**

 **To** **shamwoohoo52** **: You gave me very good feedback, but I'm a bit concerned about the length of this chapter since it's way shorter than the second one – which almost hit 10.000 words – and I tried writing another 10.000 word count chapter, but I just couldn't because I felt like I'd reveal too much in one go and that the story would progress to fast, you know?**

 **Also, I read 'Parallels' by 'Mslead' and you were right! It was amazing and it made me decided that I want Natsu's character to remain a true dragon until the very end. I won't say too much, but you better prepare yourself because it's going to be an agonizing rollercoaster.**

 **So, here's the story! Please enjoy the read!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail and sadly never will...**

* * *

 **SweetLoveAngel2**

 **A Princess' Dragon Tale - Chapter 03,** **May I only have Good Intentions**

* * *

" _Daddy, wait…" My voice mumbles out, tiredness trying to pull me down to sleep. "I'm still awake," I yawn. "let me hear the end."_

 _Through tired eyes I can see my dad smile down on me. "Are you sure?" He asks._

 _I can only nod my head, my body feeling the exhaustion hitting hard._

 _There's a short silence and for a moment I fear I'm already asleep when I hear my dad continue the story._

" _The princess was terrified of this dragon because it was looking at her as if she was a tasty meal." His voice was hushed, making the story even more scary._

" _When the dragon's black, beady eyes looked down on her, she could only hope her prince would save her in time. Only when the dragon opened its jaws, did her prince finally regain enough strength to get to his feet and to fight the mighty beast._

' _Don't worry, Anna,' The prince said. 'I'll protect you!' And with those words his sword clashed against the dragon's black scales, and-_

I groan, a shiver running up my spine when the warmth suddenly leaves me. I'm suddenly too aware that I'm awake now, the bliss of my dream retreating with the warmth that guarded my back.

I turn to look behind me, slowly opening my eyes, yet my vision still has to get accustomed to the bright morning light. I let out another groan and turn back, facing the warmth that Wendy's body is emanating and I hug her closer to my chest. I'm desperately trying to hold on to that innocent warmth, but somehow, she doesn't seem to radiate as much warmth as before.

"Wendy," The harsh voice pierces my ears, making a shiver run down my spine. "get up."

I ignore him, strengthening my grip on the small blue-head in my arms when I feel her moving to get up. I snuggle closer to her and she puts her arms around mine as she returns the gesture, sighing contently.

"Get up!" Natsu roars and I yelp as a foot is forcefully jabbed in my back and I release my iron hold on the girl. My eyes shoot open, Natsu's figure looming over us, blocking my still sensitive eyes from the piercing sunlight.

"Natsu, don't be so rou-" Wendy starts to speak, but her brother quickly shuts her up with a single glare.

"I don't expect the spoiled princess to know anything," His statement hurts me, a pang shooting through my chest when the words register in my mind. "but I know you're not as stupid as this human."

At his last remark, I frown. I glance back up at him, his body still bent over ours as his face holds a stern expression. He doesn't even bother to look at me, his anger directed at the small girl that's now trying to tear her body from my iron grip.

I allow Wendy to get to her feet, releasing her reluctantly. She starts to stretch her body, but Natsu has already pulled her forward and against his body. His arms wrap around her protectively as if she's been in immense danger being that close to me.

Natsu's fierce eyes then lock on mine, telling me with his eyes that I should tread cautiously.

I frown at that. Why is he still so suspicious of me? He pulls Wendy even closer to him, letting out a low growl and at that exact moment I recognize the possessiveness in his actions. I sit myself upright, not turning away my gaze from his intimidating one. I can read his expression like a book, his immensely dark eyes telling me to not touch what's his.

Seriously? Does he still regard me as dangerous and untrustworthy? After all that happened last night? I don't understand it at all. He'd been so different last night and I honestly thought he started to trust me more. He even came to our rescue twice in his human form, so why was he acting like a possessive primitive dragon again?

My eyes lock with Wendy's and she shakes her head when she recognises the look in my eyes.

" _Don't, Lucy, it's okay._ "

"No it's not okay, Wendy!" I yell out, not amused by this idiot's stupid draconic possessiveness. I get to my feet, my eyes still staring back at his fierce gaze.

He releases Wendy and pushes her behind him. He takes a step closer to me as he tries to intimidate me into submission. I grit my teeth at his reaction, trying not to slap him for his dominant behaviour.

She's his sister and he'll always want to protect her, but he has no right to treat Wendy like his possession.

"For being a stupid human I do know an awful lot about how to treat people with respect." I counter his glare. "And this, this is not respect."

"Respect?" He's now in my face, making me want to back up, but I force myself to stand my ground. "Respect will get you nothing if you're dead!" His words hit me hard, making me flinch. The anger in his eyes making me remember that these two are in danger. A danger I could not wish to comprehend.

Suddenly I'm scared.

Two mighty dragons had faced off against that hunter, yet they both almost died. I didn't think about this before, but that hunter must've been one heck of a powerful mage to be able to pull that off.

I swallow down the lump that has formed in my throat.

"Lucy?" Wendy's voice shakes me back to the present and I look up at her with fearful eyes.

She reaches out for me, "Are you alright?" but I step back, out of her reach and turn away from her piercing gaze. My eyes lock with Natsu's for a moment before I quickly force myself to keep it together.

I shake my head, trying to ban the images of their motionless bodies from my head. I know Wendy has access to my mind and all my insecurities, but I just can't shake these horrible thoughts.

I shudder as I remember the ice-cold piercing pain shoot trough my body. If I hadn't encountered them, I never would've been infected in the first place and I wouldn't have known that kind of pain. I never wanted to be in any danger, bu-

"Then leave!"

Natsu's voice startles me, making me stumble backwards as he's suddenly glaring at me, anger flashing through his golden eyes. His harsh words catch me off-guard and I can only stare at him as the words sink in.

I hear Wendy protest, but I can't distinguish the words that she's yelling at her brother.

Natsu ignores her, shoving her aside as he faces me again. "Leave!" He snarls at me, his pupils turning to slits and his canines visible as the anger takes over.

I feel my heart pound in my chest as Natsu stares me down with angry eyes.

"No, Lucy, ple-"

Wendy tries to get to me, trying to stop me from leaving, but Natsu pushes her back with so much force she's thrown to the ground.

I take a step forward, despite fearing this animalistic side of Natsu, feeling concerned about the young girl I've grown so fond of.

"Go!" Natsu growls, the scales now appearing through his skin, making tears spring in my eyes. The fear I felt when I first met Natsu was nothing compared with the feeling I was experiencing right this instance.

I don't even glance at Wendy anymore, I just turn on my heels and run as fast as my trembling legs can carry me.

* * *

My eyes shoot open when I realize what Lucy's dreaming about. Her father is telling her those horrible stories humans call 'fairy tales' and it makes my stomach twist in agony. I glance back down at her, her fragile human body sheltered beneath my leathery wing as she lets out content sighs.

Then the painful truth dawns on me.

I chose her as my mate.

Suddenly I'm up on my claws, not wanting to be this connected to her anymore, and I unravel my tail from Wendy's grip.

I change back to my human form, knowing that it'd be too dangerous to stay in my natural form.

I look back at my sister, a frown on her sleeping face now that my warmth has left them. I let out an annoyed growl, knowing Wendy's probably linked herself to Lucy's dream as well.

Stupid human. Wendy will definitely have nightmares when the fairy tale comes to the part where the dragon is slain.

"Wendy," I try to wake her with a loud voice. "get up."

When Lucy pulls Wendy closer to her chest and claims her, I lose it completely. Who the hell does that human think she is!

"Get up!" I roar as I force my foot in the blonde's back. She lets out a sound of discomfort and her eyes shoot open, locking with mine.

"Natsu," Wendy starts. "don't be so rou-" When she sees my glare she instantly cuts off her sentence, knowing full well why I'm mad. She needs to be more careful. I glance back at the human in front of me. She doesn't have a care in the world, but we can't afford to drop our guard like this, not right now.

"I don't expect the spoiled princess to know anything," The human reacts as if I had just bit her, though I don't let it bother me. "but I know you're not as stupid as this human."

Finally, Wendy is released and the instant she's on her feet, I pull her closer to me, my arms protecting her in my embrace. My eyes lock with shocked brown ones, telling her with a menacing look not to test me.

She frowns back at me and I hear her mind trying to figure out why I'm acting like this. " _I don't understand it at all._ " She never will. If she distracts us too much, it could get us all killed and- " _like a possessive primitive dragon again?_ "

How amusing. She clearly doesn't know anything about the world, does she?

"No, it's not okay, Wendy!" She gets back to her feet, her eyes as fierce as mine as she stares me down.

I let go of Wendy and push her behind me, knowing it'll bother the blonde even more. I close the distance between us, testing her to see if she'll submit to my will.

She seems even more angry than before, her voice barely masking the emotions that are trying to escape.

"For being a stupid human I do know an awful lot about how to treat people with respect. And this, this is not respect."

"Respect?" I was curious how she'd react, but now, all I feel is anger. "Respect will get you nothing if you're dead!" This has nothing to do with respect! I'm protecting what's mine to protect. I have a duty towards Wendy. She's my sister, my family, my clan. This ignorant human dares to lecture me, while she has never had to experience the fear of losing a loved one!

I watch her expression change, her fear taking over as her mind starts to conjure horrifying images. I can't do anything. My worst nightmares flash through her mind, forcing me to see them as well.

"Lucy?" It's faint, but I can hear the tremble in Wendy's voice as she calls out to the blonde. "Are you alright?"

Her thoughts are all over the place, making it hard for me to focus on what she's thinking. " _They're in danger. They're being hunted. They'll be killed. I'll be killed. It hurts. Why did I encounter them? If I hadn't, I wouldn't have known this pain. I never wanted this. I-_ "

"Then leave!" My voice forces her thoughts to a stop and she stumbles back a bit, but I can't control myself. What a selfish, self-centred, hypocritical-

Wendy pulls my attention to her, but my anger doesn't dissipate, if anything, seeing Wendy's hurt expression ignites the fire in my core and I let the dragon inside of me take control. "Leave!" I snarl, my voice morphed more into a growl than an intelligible scream.

Wendy tries to stop her from leaving, her voice calling out as she rushes past me to get to her, but I push her back. I will never hand over my most precious person to someone who cares only about their own selfish needs!

"Go!"

I fall forward, my talons shaking the ground as my transformation tales hold. I watch her retreating back, feeling the pull on our connection. The strain on the bond falls away as our link is severed, the distance between us now forever irreparable.

I roar out, pain fighting its way past my defences.

My chest hurts, the agony indescribable as I realize I just lost my mate forever.

* * *

My feet can't keep up, but I'm too afraid to stop running. Branches are scratching my bare arms and legs, but I still can't bring myself to stop. It isn't until I reach a big lake that I finally fall to my knees.

I feel like I'm suffocating, the air refusing to go back into my lungs as I huff and puff. I feel the tears stream down my cheeks and my whole body feels like it's being tormented, yet I can't do anything but sit and cry at the edge of the crystal-clear water.

"Why does she cry?" The voice startles me and I quickly crawl back. A flash of blue catches my attention before it disappears with a splash, making me think about Wendy.

A head pokes out from the water's surface, my eyes meeting with endless blue ones looking at me with caution. I frown, crawling closer to the edge again, trying to take a better look.

My eyes widen when I take in the appearance of the young woman in front of me. Her blue, wavy hair is gently floating in the water, her body submerged in the see-through liquid and her scaly tail is keeping her from sinking back into the water.

"You're a siren…" I voice my surprise and awe as I stare down at the beautiful girl that has now come closer to me as well.

"We prefer to be called merfolk, but Juvia thinks siren is a more appropriate name." She looks away, almost appearing ashamed of herself.

"I'm sorry." I apologize as I sit up, feeling the depressing aura floating around her. "Are you alright?" I ask, worry flashing in my eyes as our gaze connects once again.

"Not really." She confesses.

"What's your name?" I ask, taking off my boots.

"Juvia of the Great Sea." She answers, eying me with confusion as she watches me take off my knee-high socks as well.

"Juvia, I'm Lucy." I say as I let my feet sink into the water. "Why don't you tell me what's bothering you?"

"Does Lucy not know what Juvia is?" She asks me as she rests her hands on my knees, her eyes flashing dangerously for a moment, making me tense up.

"Stop it, Juvia." The third voice makes me jump. "She almost looks like a scared little bunny." I turn my head and my eyes lock with slit black ones.

The owner of those eyes steps forward and crouches down beside me. "You have a familiar scent on ya, you know that, Bunny Girl?" He speaks up, his eyes roaming over my body.

"D-don't smell me!" I say, covering my body from his gaze.

"Gajeel-kun!" Juvia exclaims with glee, water splashing on me as she propels herself forward, towards the scary dark-haired boy beside me.

He grins, ruffling her hair. The interaction between the two makes me smile. "Here I was worried you'd already turned yourself into foam, when you were just having some fun with this human."

"Foam?" I question, making the two look back at me.

The boy sighs, flopping down on the grass before he sits himself in a more comfortable position. "Juvia wants to punish herself by turning into foam." He says while he rolls his eyes.

"Why?" I turn my gaze to Juvia, who has sunk deeper into the water, her eyes avoiding mine. I wait for her to answer me, my own gaze staring her down until she swims up to us again and leans on the lake's edge.

"Juvia is a siren and we have to sing and lure human men to the depths, but Juvia doesn't want to do that anymore." I'm a bit taken aback by her words. I've heard about sirens before, but I never expected them to look like this. They look so normal – apart from their tail, obviously – that's why I'm so relaxed right now in the first place.

In reality, however, Juvia is actually a very dangerous creature.

Though, at this point, seeing these two interact so casually, I doubt Juvia really is all that dangerous to begin with.

"She wants to stop being a siren." Gajeel speaks up, hitting the girl on her head with a light tap. "You can't just stop being what you are."

"Why not?" I interrupt them, not seeing why Juvia can't just change herself if she really wants to.

"Because she'll turn into foam."

" _No, she won't be turning into foam anytime soon, trust me."_ Another voice speaks up, making me wonder if I should be more aware of my surroundings. _"I've been waiting here for four hours now, and she still hasn't done anything. So, I doubt there'll ever be any action."_ The guy sighs, flopping down on the grass as well.

"Who're you?" I ask, suddenly getting a bad feeling.

" _Lucy Heartfilia, it's been quite some time, hasn't it?"_ He speaks, his black, emotionless eyes locking with mine. A shiver runs up my spine and I feel myself being pulled into the dark aura that surrounds him.

"Who're you talking to?" Gajeel asks, making me turn my head in disbelief. "Were you talking to me? I'm Gajeel." He grins, ruffling my hair as well.

I blink up at him, not knowing what exactly is going on here. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end and I cautiously glance back at the other black-haired guy who's now lying on his back with his hands crossed in his neck as he stares up at me.

" _You're not going crazy. I'm real. They just can't see me."_ He explains. I want to leave, but his gaze freezes me to the spot. _"I don't know if it's sad for you or lucky for them. Maybe it's both."_ He grins at me, showing me a toothy grin that reminds me of someone.

"Lucy, are you okay?" Juvia asks and it's only now that I realize I've gotten to my feet.

"Y-yeah… I just need to-"

" _Oh no, please,"_ The guy speaks up again. _"don't leave on my account. I won't cause any trouble. After all, I'm not here for you."_ He glances at Juvia, making my stomach twist and churn as his now red eyes stare at the blue-haired siren in front of me.

"Lucy?"

"W-who did you say you were again?" I voice my question, directing it at Gajeel to not look crazy.

" _I am death."_ He replies with a grin.

* * *

 **So, I hope you enjoyed the read!**

 **Please tell me what you think, I'm very curious.**

 **Note: originally, I didn't want to include other mythical creatures, but now I have an amazing idea for this new universe, so be ready to be amazed ;)**

 **I searched the internet for interesting creatures and found a lot of inspiration for the next chapters, but if you guys know some awesome creatures, don't hesitate to tell me, 'cause I'm always looking for extra inspiration ;)**

 **About the next chapter update: I don't know if any of you guys are following my other stories, but I've been trying to update one every week. Next week, I'll – hopefully – upload a chapter of 'The bonds that bind'.**

 **The order in which I'll be updating is as followed:**

 **The bonds that bind – Changing Ends – Yesterday's History – Of Dragons and Assassins – A Princess' Fairy Tale**

 **If you can't wait 5 weeks, feel free to check out one of my other stories ;)**

 **P.S. A reviewer on one of my other stories told me something, which I think I need to explain. In both 'Of Dragons and Assassins' and this story I deliberately chose to write in first person POV because it limits the knowledge the readers receive. A character can be trustworthy and can always tell the truth about what (s)he experiences, or a character can have a wrong sense of understanding of the world and thus can only see their own view on this world. This view can be both right or wrong so I that's why I'm writing it like this. Maybe, I'll add some third person in there in the future, but right now, I don't think it's necessary for my plot.**

 **Lots of love**

 **~Angel**


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